Vehicle body side wall bracing construction



June 15, 1948. L. B. NEIGHBOUR ETAL 2,443,265

VEHICLE BODY SIDE WALL B RACING CONSTRUCTION Original Filed June 15Iflllllllllllll'.

LEONARD B. NEIGHBOUR Patented June 15, 1943 UNITED-- STATE-S OFFLGEvEHioLE BoijYjsfIDE WALL ERACI'NG CONSTRUCTION I I Leonard BE:Neighbour,"Molin'e;"ahd Frederick A.

Thomahn; E'astMolin'e, 111., 'assignors-to 'Deere & Company,Moline,"lll., a corp'orationof Illinois Application June- 15'; 1942,Serial no. 447,098? which isadivision of application Serial Nb.364,196fNvelnbl3'r 4: 1940. Divided and this application Maya; 1945,Serial N0." 591;783

Thepresent invention relates generallyfto frame construction, and moreparticularly to' vehiclebody construction, andh'as for' its prin-- cipalobject the provision of" a*novel andim l proved vehicle? body, which isexceedingly stiif" and rigid against lateraltwisting or weaving; butwhich is light in weightrand'economical to" manufacture."

A more specific object relates to the provision of a novel and improvedbracing means. for

bracing the sidewalls of a vehicle body-relativeto the bottom; thebracing means being on the outside o'f-the walls, but withoutgreatly-increasing the overall width of'the body.

This application is adivision of our (no-pending;-

application, Serial No. 447,098; filed June 15, 1942; andissu'edMajrch26, 1946, as Patent No.

2,397,429, which,-in turn, is a division of ourapplication, Serial No,364,196, filed November 4, 1940; and issued November 24, 1942; as PatentThese and other objects and advantages oi our Figure'l'is'a perspectiveview'of atwowheeled manure spreader constructed accordingtotheprinciples of our'invention'; V

Figure 2 is a side eleVational-view showing an enlarged detail of one ofthe braces at the lower corner'ofthe spreader box;

Figure 3 is asectional elevationalview taken alongthe line33 in Figure2; and

(c1. zec -ss) Figure 4 is a'similar view of a bra ce on thei oppositesideof the vehicle.

at "the front ends thereofi The members are connected together by atransverse beam 52* comprising a' vertically-disposed flat plate or bar.Aboxsectiondraft tongue 531s centrally disposed beneath theforwardend'of'the body: l0 and is rigidlysecured; as lcy welding; to thelower'edge of the member 52, indicated at 49.

Transversely disposed structural angle memf bers I5 connect the framemembers 12 at longitudinally spaced intervals, andasheet metal bedorrflooring-Zllrests upon and 'is fixed to the cross members- [5 and hasupwardly turned flanges 2| at-the sides thereof which are fixed to thelongitudinal frame members l2 by suitable means, such as by rivetingor-bolting'; The side walls of the spreader body are indicatedby-reference numeraljZZand are preferablymade of sheet metal which isfixed to vertical angle members 23. The upper edge and curved front endof each-of'the side walls is 'reinforcedbya light angle member'zilponeflange; of which is fixed to the inner side of the side wall 22 andtheother; flange of which extends outwardly over thaedge-of theside wall.Each of the'longi tudinal'frar'ne-members' I2 is positionedwith avertical flange [6; lying against; the outer side of-the' sidewall 22and secured thereto byrnean s of a bolt H, which" extends through lsuitable aligned apertures in the flange I6, =the flange 2 i, the; sidewall 22, and through a fore-and aft extending flange v l 8 onthei'vertical frame member 23. Theother flange moithe vertical angle b r3 vext zrd utwar r t s -"Wa 2221M erse p ane a pr i mi etudinal framemembers lz has a horizontally dis posed flange 3 4 whic h; ex ds'llateral'li outa y; s an ial s en i. new? the ent. 1, n e. 1.6 .v n thVe a m m l 23 terminates in abutment with 'theto'p surface of thehorizontal flange 34. v g

The; transverse l5 and a structural angle memberwhich has ahorizontal'flange 35 cm which the' fl'oor plate issup' ported. The member: [Sextends laterall y out wardly under the longitudinal menibers l2 andhas; its horizontal flange 35 lying in me astases" with the bottomsurface of the horizontal flange 34 of the members 12. The member l5also'has a vertical flange 3B which extends downwardly from the rearedge of the horizontal flange 35, and the member I5 is positionedbeneath the body of the vehicle with th'eforwardsurfac of" theverticalflange tt disposed in a transverse plane which is common to the"plah'eof the for-- ward surface of, th flange 19' of theve'rtical'nameless-leer 23. r I H flhe three frame members l2, Isaac I23 are thusdisposedperpendicular to 7 ach other" and are rigidly interconnected,by"niean'sfwhichfwill now be described, to rennet exced'in'glistrong"structurlf #bra'ce j 24" comprising" a fiat plate lies fagainlst tnerorwara surface of the trans verse flange [9 of the vertical framemember 23 and is secured thereto by bolts 25. The plate 24 is providedwith a horizontal slot 2.1, -which .is

substantially equal in width tothecombined thicknesses of the juxtaposedflanges 34, 35',

and receives the latter to hold them tightly tou The bottom portion ofthe plate24 beneath the slot 21 lies in juxtaposition withthe forwardside of the vertical flange 36 "and" gether.

is secured thereto by two bolts 726;; The, flanges 3d, 35 are rigidlysecured together by;means of a vertical bolt 31, and the longitudinalflange 8 of the vertical frame member 23 is secured by the bolt I! injuxtaposition with the outer surface of the vertical flange 16 of the longi- I tudinal frame member [2. v

This construction provides a braceijoint of,

great strength for preventing the sides of the to receive the edge andend, respectively, of said juxtaposed flanges for holding the lattertogether.

3:"In a vehicle body structure, a pair of laterally spaeedlongitudinally extending frame members having horizontal flangeportions, a cross member extending between said frame members and havinga horizontal flange disposed in juxtaposed relation to said frame memberflanges, a

body from spreading, and at the same time elimi-- nates the need forprojecting the ends of the transverse members a considerable distancelaterally outwardly beyond'the sides ofthe body to secure a connectionfor the brace.'- a

The sides of the body are tied together at' I the top by an angle ironmember 30 formed in the shape of an inverted U, the extremities 3|thereof projecting down along theexteriorof the side walls 22 andb'eingsecured thereto. The arch portion of the member 1 extends far enoughabove the side walls of the body towpermit a heaped-up load of materialcarried by the body to pass thereunder.

The material carried in the body is caused to travel graduallyrearwardly thereinpwhen the machine is in operation, by-an-en dless beltconveyor apron 32- of the-type'comprising' a pair of laterally spacedendless chains'33'; whichare trained over sprockets at the front-andrear end. of the body, respectively, the details of I which are clearlyshown and describedin' ourabove mentionedPatent No.2,397,429. i

The two chains 33 are inter-connected by a series oflongitudinallyspaced slats 44, which scrape along the surface of 'thefloor'plate' 20 to move 'the material rearwardly toward the pair ofverticalframe members rising from said juxtaposed flanges at oppositeends of said cross member, respectively, and a brace at each end of saidcross member, each brace comprising a transverse vertical plate rigidlysecured to said vertical member and having a horizontal slot adapted toreceive the edge and end, respectively, of said juxtaposed flanges, j gI 4. In a-vehicle body structure,apair-"offrameQ-I members generallyperpendicular one ;to:the otherhaving flanged portio'ns'disposed injuxtaposition and other flanges disposed, perpendicular; thereto andextending on: opposite sides therefrom, respectively, a third framem-ember hay-ing,-;a

surface disposedin the planeof one ofsaid her flanges .but on theopposite side ofsaid;

5. Ina vehicle body.str lCtllre,-;, alongitu nal frame member having ahorizontal flange and a" vertical flange, a transverse frame membenhav-aing a horizontalflangefdisppsed,inzjuxtapositi n; with saidlongitudinal. horizontal flange and;;als o having a vertical flangeextending oppositely it'o said longitudinal verticaliflange, averticalframe rotating beating-anddistributing mechanism, in-- dicate'd'generally by the reference numeral 45.

The rearend of the spreader body is supported on a pair of laterallyspacedground wheel's- 60, 6|,

which are journaled on a transverse axle 62.-

Further details of this contruction can be found in our Patent2,302,879.

The forward end of the body is eerridentne draft tongue 53, the forwardend ofwhich is carried on a tractor drawbar (not shown) by means of asuitable hitch clevis 54. When'th'e" implement is disconnectedfrom thtractor, the draft tongue 53 is supported ona jack-55', which is mountedon a transverse pivot 56 andcan be swung upwardly against the't'ongue 53during transport. e T

We claim: I 1. In a structural frame, a pair v members generallyperpendicular one to'the other having juxtaposed flanges, a thirdstructural of structural member having an end abutting one'ofsaidflanges, and bracing means for rigidly*'securing= said members togethercomprising'a plate lying against said thirdmem-ber and fastened thereto,

and having a slot positioned to receive the edge and end, respectively,of said juxtaposed flanges for holding the latter together.

2. In a structural frame, a pair of structural members generallyperpendicular one to the other I having juxtaposed. flanges, a thirdstructuralmember-abutting on 'onemofe. said juxtaposed flanges andextending inone direction therefrom, and abracing membercomprising.;a,;,platejlyingagainst said vertical member and against theone of said vertical flanges disposed on the-opposite;

side of said juxtaposed horizontal flangesxlfro'm said vertical memberandtilrigidly flxed thereto;

and having a slot positionedtore'ceive said iuxtae 1 posed flangeportions? v 6. In a vehicle body-structure, e1= e1eirreme 1 membersgenerally perpendicular one to the' o'ther' having flanged portionsdisposed'in juxtaposition and other flanges disposed-perpendicularthereto and extending on opposite-sides therefromg' respectively, athird frame-member disposed :'gen I erally "perpendicular '-to--'each ofthe first "men tioned frame members-and t'erminating in b'--'- stantialabutment w th one er 'said' juxt'a flanges: more fi ml m mb i e enqlethe abutting, flange in :a f direction opposit certain one. ofsaid"other' flanges; jandja plate 65,. lying against, said'thir'dmemberand-same v, l flange and rigidlyflxed'thereto; andih S101? pamp r r c e;an hear fi portions,

extending? frame member h vin -a horizonta flange, a crossmemberiextending at-an -a ngle;i ;c

said frame member, said cross member/haying;- a horizontal flangedisposed in juxtaposed, 'rela=:

tionto said frame member flange; avertica1iframef "member rising --fromsaid ju'x'taposed flangesat #1 I Ju ta'l posedmflanged portionstherefrom, and-a plate; lying against the coplanar: surfaces ofsaiglg'third member and said other-flange and rigidly fixed,-; thereto,and havinga slot-positioned toreceive L, said juxtaposed flangeportions. 1

the end of said cross member and a brace at said end of said crossmember, said brace comprising a transverse vertical plate rigidlysecured to said vertical member and having a horizontal slot adapted toreceive the edge and end, respectively, of said juxtaposed flanges.

8. In a vehicle body structure, a pair of laterally spacedlongitudinally extending frame members having horizontal flanges andupwardly extending vertical flanges, side walls attached to saidvertical flanges, a transverse frame member having a horizontal flangedisposed in juxtaposed relation with said horizontal flanges of saidlongitudinal frame members, a floor plate supported on said horizontalflange of said transverse member inwardly of said longitudinallyextending members, a pair of vertical frame members rising from saidjuxtaposed flanges at the ends of said transverse member, respectively,and a brace at each end of said transverse member, each of said bracescomprising a transverse vertical plate rigidly attached to the adjacentvertical member and having a, horizontal slot adapted to receive theedge and end, respectively, of said juxtaposed flanges associatedtherewith.

9. In a vehicle body structure, a longitudinal frame member having ahorizontal flange and an upwardly extending vertical flange, a side wallattached to said vertical flange, a transverse frame member having ahorizontal flange disposed in juxtaposed relation with said horizontalflange of said longitudinal member, a vertical flange depending fromsaid horizontal flange of said transverse member, a floor platesupported on the latter inwardly of said juxtaposed flanges, a verticalframe member extending upwardly from the top of said longitudinalhorizontal flange, and a bracing plate lying flat against said verticalframe member and said depending flange and rigidly fixed thereto, andhaving a slot positioned to receive said juxtaposed horizontal flanges.

10. In a vehicle body structure, a pair of longitudinal frame membershaving horizontal flanges and upwardly extending vertical flanges, sidewalls attached to the inner sides of said vertical flanges, a crossmember having a depending vertical flange and a horizontal flangedisposed in juxtaposed relation with said horizontal flanges of saidlongitudinal members, vertical frame members rising from said juxtaposedflanges at the ends of said cross member, respectively, and a brace ateach end of said cross member, each brace comprising a transversevertical plate rigidly secured to the adjacent vertical member and tothe depending vertical flange of the cross member and having ahorizontal slot adapted to receive said juxtaposed flanges, associatedtherewith.

11. In a vehicle body structure, a pair of later ally spacedlongitudinally extending frame members having horizontal flange portionsand vertical flange portions, side walls attached to said verticalflange portions, respectively, a cross member extending between saidframe members and having a horizontal flange disposed in juxtaposedrelation to said frame member horizontal flanges, a pair of verticalframe members rising from said juxtaposed flanges at opposite ends ofsaid cross member, respectively, and a brace at each end of said crossmember, each brace comprising a transverse vertical plate rigidlysecured to the adjacent vertical member and having a horizontal slotadapted to receive the edge and end, respectively, of said juxtaposedflanges associated therewith.

LEONARD B. NEIGHBOUR. FREDERICK A. THOMANN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 814,436 Einfeldt Mar. 6, 19061,730,777 Mayer Oct. 8, 1929 1,808,082 Thompson June 2, 1931 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 226,921 Great Britain Jan. 8, 1925 433,078Great Britain Aug. 8, 1935

